Questionbike has less than 3000 miles. sat for a number of years. about ten. bike will start and run great, but after awhile the battery drains dead and stalls the bike. bike won't restart. let set a couple of days, recharge battery, and bike will start. same thing happens. (brand new battery)something is draining battery dead as it is running, what? Could this be a result from sitting around for ten years? What could be the problem? How do I troubleshoot?
AnswerMike, you can go to a website: www.electrexusa.com and download a ton of troubleshooting info, if you don't have access to the shop manual.
These bikes had a different charging system than the earlier ones. Related to the DOHC engine series, there are a pair of carbon brushes that contact the slip rings on the rotor under the dyno cover. They shouldn't be worn in 3k miles, but could be stuck or corroded from sitting so long. Troubleshooting this system requires carefully checking the resistance value of the rotor slip ring windings COLD and then HOT. Rotor failures are common on these bikes for some reason.
If the battery was left to discharge in the bike, it could have damaged the regulator rectifier assy. These can be partially tested with a VOM testing the diodes in forward and reverse polarities.
You have to check/test the stator windings and all connections back from the engine to the reg/rect assy for proper function. Go over all the wiring connections, including ALL GROUND connections to be sure that there is continuity throughout the system.
I suspect that the charging system is not working currently versus something "draining" the bike. The main drain is the headlight and other running lights, plus the ignition system, which are normal and compensated for when the charging system is functioning.
Shop manuals are often available on EBAY or from www.helminc.com
Bill Silver
